Skein lacing machine



S p 1930- 3 H. D. CdLMAN 1,774,592

. SKEIN LACING MACHINE Filed 001;. 12. 1927 10 Sheets-Shet 1 INVENTOR i Midw- ATTORN EYS Howard D. Colman Sept. 2, 1930. H. D. COLMAN 2 SKEIN LACING CHINE Filed Oct. 12. 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Howard .D. Colman ATTORN EYS Sept. 2, 1930. CQLMAN 1,774,592

SKEIN LACING CHINE Filed Oct. 12. 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Q Howard D. Colman BY W4 $04M ATTORNEYS p 2, 1930. H. D. comm 1,714,592

SKEIN LACING MACHINE Filed Opt. 12, 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Howard D. Colman m'iLuMMK ATTORNEYS Sept. 2, 1930. H. o. couAAN SKEIN LACING MACHINE Filed 001;. 12, 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Howard 1). Colman ATTOR N EYS Sept. 2, 1930. H. D. COLMAN 1,774,592

SKEIN LACING IACHINE Filed 001:. 12, 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet m9 INVENTOR Howard .D. Colman C BY ATTORNEYS Se t. 2, 1930. H. D. COLMAN SKEIN LACING IACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet B INVENTOR Howard D. Colman /J@ Zia/4 w ATTORNEYS Sept.-2, 1930. H. D. COLMAN 1,774,592

SKEIN LACING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12. 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 a CLUTCH 651M. aura/1 our. CLUTCH ABOUT To 55 BRAKE 67 OFF. BRA/1E 0/7. THROW/V IN.

BRA/ff ABOUT 70 10 20 BE RELEASED.

Eda? I09 M /35 //9 R Iii/ 9.19. 3 )4/6 J9 //2 Ma a @440 ATTORNEYS Sept. 2, 1930. H. D. coLMAN SKEIN LACING cums Filed Oct. 12, 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Inventor flowaro D. Colman mzmk Patented Sept. 2, 193

HOWARD D. COLMAN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T BARBER-COLMAN COM- PANY, 0F ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SKEIN- LACING MACHINE Application filed October 12, 1927. Serial No. 225,621.

This invention relates to machines for lac- .ing skeins of tram, organzine, rayon, or other material. The reels or flies upon which such material is commonly wound consist of four parallel bars set at equidistant intervals around and spaced away from an axis or shaft. Usually a plurality of skeins are wound side by. side upon a fly. The machine herein shown is adapted to lace all four sides of each skein carried by a fly.

My application Serial No. 105,684, filed April 30th, 1926, discloses a skein-laeing machine comprising automatic mechanism for feeding a fly into the machine, for lowering the fly into operative relation to the lacing mechanism, for raising the fly out of operative relation to the lacing mechanism and indexing the fly so as to present all four sides to the lacing mechanism, and for discharging the completely laced fly.

- The object of the present invention is to provide a skein-lacing machine into which the fly may be manually inserted and manually withdrawn, and which comprises manually-operable means for lowering the flyinto position to be laced, for raising the fly into position. to be manually indexed, and for return ing the indexed fly into position to be laced.

111 the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a skein-lac ing machine embodying the features of my invention, certain parts being omitted. The machine is represented as being in operation, the skein-lacing mechanism being about to travel step by step toward the right.

Fig. 2 is a left-hand end view of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3-'3 of Fig. 8, showing a safety mechanism,

the operation of which depends upon whether or not the fly is properly seated in the machine.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental plan view taken in the plane of line Jrof Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 55 of Fig. 2 with certain parts omitted. I

Fig. 6 is a fragmental. front view showing a fly supported in the machine preparatory to being moved into operative poistion.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 77 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7* illustrates one of the comb teeth.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental plan view of the lefthand portion of the machine.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the right-hand portion of the machine.

r Fig. 10 is a plan view showing certain devices for latching the lacing carriage in the idle or thirteenth position.

Fig. 11 is a front View of the parts shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmental front view showing, among other things, a safety mechanism for insuring indexing of the fly.

Fig. 13 is a fragmental vertical view taken approximately in the plane of line 77 of Fig. 1 and showing the safety mechanism just referred to.

Fig. 14 is a view taken on line M le of Fig. 13.

. Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are plan views showlng different positions of the mechanisms that control the clutch and the brake.

Fig. 18 illustrates the one-way drive for a cam comprised in said mechanisms.

Fig. 19 illustrates the means for initiating the stoppage of the machine.

Figs. 20 and 21 are fragment-a1 plan views of certain levers comprised in the stopping and starting mechanism.

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Figs. 7 and 13, but showing. the parts in another position.

Fig. 23 shows the position assumed upon the introduction of a fly into the machine, the shaft of the fly having passed the finger 168.

The form of fly R shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 comprises four bars 0 supported upon a central shaft 6. While the embodiment herein shown of my invention is especially adapted to operate upon a. four-sided fly having twelve skeins wound thereon, it is to be understood that this is in no way a limitation of the invention, for by making certain changes the mechanism may be adapted to operate upon a fly of any number of sides and skeins.

The main frame of the machine comprises a base 1, two uprights 2 and 3 (Fig. 2-) at the left-hand end of the base, a horizontal beam l attached to the upper ends of the uprights 2 and 3, two uprights 5 and 6 (Fig.- 7) supported about midway of *5: 1e length of the base 1, and a horizontal beam 7 attached to the upper ends of the uprights 5 and Upon the beams l and 7 are mounted castings which are provided with ledges to support the ends of the shaft b of a fly.

There are three principal makes of flies, the only important difference, so far as this invention is concerned, residirin the length of the shaft. In order to ma- ..dant the chine for operation upon any of said makes of flies, the castings referred to are in the nature of slides which are movable toward and away from each other.

Referring now to 2 and 5: 8 denotes a slide mounted upon the beam 4 between guides 9. On the beam 7 is a slide 10 which is mounted between guides 11., (Figs. 7 and 22). The means for adjusting the slide 8 comprises a shaft 12 (Figs. 2 and 5) which is mounted in bearings on the beam 4 and which carries two crank arms 13 that are connected to the slide by means of links 14. The slide 10 is arranged to be moved by means of a shaft 15 (Fig. 7) carried by the beam 7 and having two arms 16 8) which are coir nected to the slide by means of links 17. The shafts 12 and 15 are connected together for synchronous movement by means including an arm 18 (Fig. 1) on the shaft 12, an arm 19 on the shaft 15 and a link 20 connecting said arms. The arms 18 and 19 are longitudinally slotted so that the link 20 may be connected to said arms at varying distances from the shafts 12 and 15, and the link 20 is made adjustable in length, as indicated at 21 in Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the machine is shown as adjusted to operate upon an Atwood fly. To adjust the machine to operate upon Sipp flies, the slides 3 and 10 are shifted toward the right in Fig. 1, the left-hand slide shifting farther than the right-hand slide so as to shorten the distance between the shaft-sun porting ledges hereinbefore alluded to while maintaining the skeins in proper vertical planes. To adjust the machine for operation upon Scranton flies (the length of the shaft of which is intermediate those of Atwood and Sipp flies) the points of connection of the link 20 are altered and the length of the link ad justed accordingly.

The means for actuating the shafts 12 and 15 to adjust the slides 8 and 10 comprises a hand lever 22 secured to the forward end of the shaft 12. The throw of the lever 22 is limited by contact of the slide 8 with stops 23 (Fig. 8) on the beam 4. A spring 24 holds the slide 8 in contact with one or the other of said stops.

Upon the adjacent faces of the slides 8 and 10 are formed horizontal ledges 25 and 26, respectively, (Fig. 6) to support the end of the shaft of the fly. At the inner ends of these ledges are vertical slots it. (Figs. 2 and 7) to receive the en 3 of the shaft of the fly. The portion 29 (Fig. 2) of the slide 8 constitutes a stop in alinement with the ledge 25 to limit inward horizontal movement of the left-hand end of the shaft 5 of the fly. Similarly, the part 30 (Fig. 7 limits inward horizontal movement of the right-hand end of the fly shaft.

The means for lowering the fly onto the comb which divides the skeins into bundles of strands comprises two arms 31 and 32 which are mounted upon a shaft 33. The means for swinging the arms 31 and 32 to lower and raise the fly comprises two arms 34 which are fixed upon the shaft 33 and are connected at their forward upper ends by means of a hand rod 35. The arms 34 are extended rearwardly of the shaft 33 and there carry a counterweight 36. A rod 37 extends through the arms 31, 32 and 34. In order that the arms 31 and 32 may be ad- ;iusted to correspond with the lengtn of the shaft of the fly to be operated upon, said arms are slidably mounted upon the shaft 33 and the rod 37. As shown in Figs. 5 and 8, the arms 31 and 32 extend through guides 38 which are fixed to the slides 8 and 10 whereby the arms 31 and 32 are caused to move with said slides when (he l tter are being adjusted.

The adjacent faces of the arms 31 and 32 are channeled, as shown in 2. 5 and 7, to receive the ends of the shaft of the fly. The channeled ends of said arms extend across the slots 27 and 28, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 7. When said arms are in their upper position (which is determined by contact of said arms with the guides 38), the channeled ends of the arms are in aliucment with the ledges 25 and 26. See Fig. 22.

The means for dividing the skeins into bundles of strands may be of any suitable construction. For example it may be a comb such as that fnllv illustrated and scribed in said application Serial No. 105,684. Said comb comprises a series of skein spacers 39 (Fig. 5) arranged at intervals corresponding to the s;.::.c-i:s lust -Jean the skeins on the fly. Interposed between the skein spacers 39 are groups of comb teeth or skein piercers. The comb is supported by the beams 4 and 7 in the vertical plane passing through the slots 27 and 28. As disclosed in said application, each the sirein piercers 4O comm... stationary men1..-r 40 and a movable m mber 40". As the fly is being lowered on to the comb morable elements bundles Without injuring the silk. The means for thus oscillating or ting the movabl ell of the con 1 lly imila" to that fun; p"catiom the l'ilO'i-flbit? ('HilciiTS -23 bci ecured together to rock with a shaft 41 (B 7). On said shaft is a crank arm 42 carrying a r: n which runs in groove o a cam disk 44. Said disk is rotatably supported in the machine frame and is arranged to be rotated by means comprising a pinion 45 (Fig. 8) which is fixed to the cam disk and which meshes with a gear segment 46 that is carried by the shaft 33 and the rod 37. As shown in Fig. 7, the cam groove 43 includes a series of small rises and falls which cause the movabie elements of the comb te to he rapidh viii-r ted through a hort arc. The cam groove aiso com;- a pertion arranged swing the movchic tooth 2 ments Well away from the stationary elements and hold them away to allow the laces to be withdrawn from the comb as the fly is being lifted off the comb.

The mechanisms for passing lacing cord around the bundles and for tying togd the ends of the cord are indicated genera at A in Fig. 2 and are mounted upon c riage C having wheels 48 and 4-9 whim tra upon tracks 50 on the base 1. The upper p tion of the carriage is guided by means icibeams 4 and '7. For a full disclosure mechani m A and a carriage C adapted use with the present invention, reference ay be made to my said application Serial No. 105,684 or to my application Serial No. 272,029, filed April 23, 1928.

The carriage C is given its working stroke by mechanisms which move it step by step from left to right in Fig. 1. The knotter unites the ends of the lacing of one skein while the lacing mechanism is lacing the shein in the van. In view of this, since there are twelve skeins, it is apparent that the knotter must operate an extra time in order to unite the ends of the lacing of the twelfth skein. The position occupied by the car 3 while the lacing of the twelfth skein is tied is hereinafter termed the thirteenth pc' sition.

Upon completing the working stroke the carriage is latched in the thirteenth position to provide an interval during which the operator may index the fly or substitute another. When the operator is ready, he anlatches the carriage. whereupon spring means returns the carriage to its starting position.

The means heroin shown for reciprocating the carriage o is similar to tint fully closed in said Colman application and comprises an indexing bar 53, one end of which is rigidly secured to the carriage. The indexing bar 53 is guided and supported by means of rollers 54 (Figs. 13 and 14) on the base 1. Blocks 55 are secured to the rear side of the carriage-indexing bar, hese blocks being spaced at intervals equal to the distance between the centers of adjacent skeins. The means for moving the carriage step by step during its working stroke comprises a disk 56 carrying an eccentrically mounted roller 57 adapted to roll through the space between adjacent blocks and to have rolling ongag'enient with the leading block. While ti o roller 57 is out of engagement with the bar 53, the carriage is locked in position by means of a lever 58 (Fig. 9) adapted to engage the successive bloc s 55, as fully described in said Colman application.

The disk 56 is fixed to a shaft 59 which is driven from a shaft 60 by a gear train 61, G2 and 63. (The shaft 60 also drives the mecha ms on the carrie C, saic shaft ha 2 inc rectzon r. mechanisms as .icated in Figs. "f and 9.) The shaft 60 ven from a pulley 64 through a multipl :1: clutch 65 and the gear train 65. 67

a multiple-disk brake for promptly stopping the drive upon the completion of the working stroke of the carriage.

The latch 68 (Fig. 11) for holding the carriage at the end of the working stroke against the tension of the spring means hereinbefore alluded to is adapted to engage a block 69 secured to the. underside of the indexing bar 53. 70 is a spring to hold the latch in operative position. The latch 68 is fixed to a pivot 71 which carries a lever 72. To the lever 72 is pivoted one end of a bar 73 (Figs. 8 and 9) which extends alongside the come. A start ing hand lever 74 is pivoted between its ends at 75 and. is connected at its rear end to the bar 73. t will be seen that when the lever 74 is swung to the right in Fig. 3, the latch 08 will be disengaged from the block 69, thereby releasing the carriage to the action of the spring means which returns the riage to starting position beneath the first skein (the skein farthest to the left in Fig. 1). Said means comprises tension springs 76 (Fig. 1) which are anchored at their lower ends and are connected at their upper ends to the upper end of a rod 77. Said rod provided with a rack 78 that meshes with a pinion 79 (Fig. 9). The pinion 79 is fixed to a shaft 80 which carries a spur gear 81 that meshes with a rack 82 on the carriage-indexing bar 53. 83 is a dashpot, the piston of which is connected to the rod 77. As the carriagc reaches its operative position beneath the first skein a block 84 l2) on the lower side of the indexing bar 03 strikes a butter 85 on the bed 1, the spring 86 of buffer absorbing some of the shock.

The means for preventing the roller 57 (Fig. 9) from operating on the indexing bar 53 while the carriage C is being returned to Lil.)

- frame.

initial position by the springs 76 and until after the first skein has been laced, comprises means for sliding the shaft 59 endwise so as to place the roller 57 out of position to engage the blocks 55. Said means will be described hereinafter.

The means for operating the clutch and the brake 67 comprises a fork 87 (Fig. 9) which is pivoted at 88 andv is rigid with a lever 89. The latter is acted upon by a tension spring 90 which tends to swing the fork 87 in the direction to throw out the clutch and apply the brake. The means for controlling the spring 90 comprises a lever 91 pivoted on the axis 88 and carrying a dog 92 (Fig. 15) which is normally held in position to engage a lug 93 on the lever 89 by means of a spring 94. Rigid with the lever 91 is an arm 95 having a projection 96 which is held by a tension spring 97 in engagementwith a cam 98. The cam 98 is arranged to be driven by power derived from the carriagereturning springs 76. As shown in Fig. 18, the hub of the cam 98 has a notch 99 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 100 carried by a spur gear wheel 101. The gear wheel 101 meshes with a spur gear 102 that meshes with a pinion 103 which is rigid with the gear wheel 81. It will be seen that when the springs 76 are acting to return the carriage C to initial position, the cam 98 is being rotated. As the carriage reaches the position where it can operate upon the first skein, the high point of the cam 98 passes the projection 96, whereupon the spring 97 moves the lever 95 to the left, as viewed in Figs. 9 and 15. This causes the arm 91 to swing toward the right, whereby the dog 92 pushes the lever 89 toward the right against the tension of the spring 90, thus throwing in the clutch 65 and releasing the brake 67. The carriage C thereupon com- ;lnences to travel step by step beneath the As the carriage reaches the thirteenth position, it engages a stop screw 104 carried by an arm 105 which is pivoted at 106 in the machine frame. The arm 105 is rigid with an arm 107 to which is connected a link 108. The right-hand end of the link 108 is pivoted to one arm of a bell crank lever 109 (Fig. 19) which is pivoted at 110. The other arm of said bell. crank lever serves to guide and support a bar 111 which is pivoted at its right-hand end to the upper end of a lever 112 which is pivoted in the machine frame at 113. During the operation of the machine, the lever 112 is continuously swung by means of a cam 114 fixed on the shaft 59, a contractile spring 115 serving to hold a roller 116 on said lever in contact with the cam.

In the left-hand end of the bar 111 is an elongated opening 117 (Fig. 9) adapted to receive a pin 118 on one end of a lever 119. The lever 119 is pivoted at 120 in the machine The rear arm of the lever 119 is normally held by a tension spring 121 in engagement with the left-hand arm of a lever 122 which is pivoted in the machine frame at 123. A tension spring 124 tends to hold the lever 122 in engagement with the lever 119. The right-hand end of the lever 122 carries a roller that lies between collars 125 on the rear end of the shaft 59.

When the carriage C strikes the stop screw 104 (Fig. 5) the link 108 is drawn toward the left (Figs; 5, 9 and 19) thereby lowering the slotted bar 111 so that the pin 118 lies within the slot 117. The rotation of the cam 114 causes the bar 111 to be moved toward the right, thereby swinging the lever 119 (Fig.

9) against the tension of the spring 121,

whereby the rear end of the lever 119 is withdrawn from the lever 122, thus allowing the spring 124 to swing the lever 122 in the direction to slide the shaft 59 rearwardly. The roller 57 is thus withdrawn from position to engage the blocks 55, whereby the working stroke or step-by-step movement of the carriage is suspended, the carriage being then in the thirteenth position. At the same time the latch 68 (Fig. 11) engages the block 69 i on the indexing bar 53, thereby holding the parriage C against the tension of the springs As the carriage C thus completes its stepby-step movement, means to 'be now described disengages the dog 92 from the lug 93 and thus allows the spring 90 to throw out the clutch and apply the brake. On one side of the spur gear wheel 61 is a cam projection 126 (Figs. 9 and 15). lVhen the carriage-indexing shaft 59 is slid out of operative relation to the indexing bar 53, the 2 and the fork 87 to the left, thereby throwing out the clutch 65 and applying the brake 67. The entire machine thus comes to rest.

When the carriage C is subsequently released to the action of the springs 76, it

moves away from the stop screw 104 (Fig.

5), whereupon a tension spring 132 attached to an arm 133 which is rigid With the arms 105 and 107 causes the link 108 to be pushed toward the right, thereby raising the slotted bar 111 out of engagement with the pin 118. Then the carriage C reaches operative position beneath the first skein (the one farthest to the left), the cam 98 allows the spring 97 to throw in the clutch and release the brake, as hereinbefore described. As the against the roller 135.

crank disk 56 begins to revolve, a cam flange 134 (Fig. 9) on the rear face of said disk engages an anti-friction roller 135 mounted in the machine frame, whereby in the continuing rotation of the crank disk the shaft 59 is slid forward to place the roller 57 in position. to operate on the blocks 55. At the same time, the earn 126 is withdrawn out of range of the projection on the lever 127, and the lever 122 is swung against the tension of the spring 124 to allow the lever 119 to move into engagement with said lever 122, as shown in Fig. 9. As illustrated in Figs. and 21, the end of the lever 122 is rovided with a cam surface 136. When the lever 119 is being drawn away from the cam surface 136 by the bar 111, the spring 124 is restrained by said cam surface and thus prevented from driving the cam 134 violently The retreat of the cam 134 as it rolls past the roller 135 allows the spring 124 to withdraw the shaft 59 gradually. When the lever 119 is returned into engagement with the lever 122 the cam surface 136 causes the lever 122 to be given a slight additional forward movement so that the cam 134 shall clear the roller 135 in the succeeding revolutions of the crank disk 56.

Means is provided to prevent the operator from setting the machine in operation until a fly has been properly seated on the comb. This means comprises two feeler plates 137 (Fig. 3), one being provided for each end of the comb in position to be depressed by engagement with the end skeins of the fly. Only a fragment of the left-hand plate 137 is visible in Fig. 8. Expansive springs 138 (Fig. 3) normally hold the feeler plates 137 l in elevated position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Rigid with each feeler plate 137 is a downwardly extending arm 139. On the slide bar 7 3 are two angular projections 140 (Figs. 4 and 8). When the feeler plates :1 137 are held depressed by a properly seated fly, the projections 139 are in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 3 and 4, and consequently are out of the path of movement of the projections 140, but if either end a of the fly is not properly seated, one or both of the lugs 139 will occupy the position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4, thus preventing the bar 73 from being moved toward the left in Figs. 8 and 11, and thereby preventing the operator from actuating the starting hand lever 74 to withdraw the latch 68 from the block 69.

Means is provided to prevent the fly from being raised at any time after the carriage has started toward its initial position (below the farthest leftward skein) and before the carriage has returned to its idle or thirteenth position. This means comprises a dog 141 (1* 1g. 4; which is pivoted at 142 and 1s arranged to ratchet teeth formed on the periphery of the cam disk 44. Rigid with the dog 141 is an arm 143 which is connected by means of a link 144 to the arm 133. As soon as the carriage starts toward the left, the spring 132 places the dog 141 in engagement with the disk 144 and thereby prevents the operator from lifting the hand rod 35.

Means is provided to prevent the carriage C from being returned to initial position until after the has been indexed or until after a completely-laced has been replaced with another fly. Said means comprises a secondary latch 145 (Fig. 10) siidably mounted in a guide 146 and arranged to be projected by a tension spring 147 into the path of a locking block 148 on the indexing bar 53. If the operator should withdraw the primary latch 68 from the block 69 while the latch 145 is in the forward position shown in full lines in Fig. 10, the carriage will move to the left a fraction of an inch until the block 148 stops against the latch 145. The latch 145 has a pin-and-slot connection with alink 149 (Fig. 13) that is pivoted to an arm 150. The latter is fixed to a shaft 151 (Fig. 9) on which is secured an arm 152. A spring 153 tends to move said arm 152 downwardly. A link 154 (Figs. 5, 12 and 13) connects the arm 152 to an arm 155 which is rigid with a pinion 156. The latter meshes with a gear wheel 157 which is fixed on a shaft 158. The arm 155, pinion 156 and shaft 158 are supported on the slide 10. Fast on the shaft 158 is a disk 159 (Fig. 22) having in its periphery a single tooth or recess 160 adapted to be enga ed by a pawl 161. o'aid pawl is pivoted upon an arm 162 which is rigid with a sleeve 163 12). Also rigid with the sleeve 163 is an arm 164 which is connected by means of a link 165 to an arm 166 (Fig. 22) which is pivoted at 167 on the slide 10. Two fingers 168 and 169 are rigid with the arm 166 and overhang the ledge 26. A spring 170 is connected at one end to the upper end of the arm 166 and is anchored at. its other end to a pin 171 (Fig. 7) directly below the axis 167. It will thus be seen that the spring 170 tends to hold the arm 166 at either side of its axis of oscillation, with one of the fingers 168 and 169 bearing against the ledge 26. To prevent reverse movement of the shaft 158, there is provided a dog 172 (Fig. 22), said dog being pivoted on the slide 10 in position to engage in any one of four equidistant notches 173 in a collar 174 fixed on the shaft 158.

When the operator pushes a fly rearwardly along the ledges and 26 (see Fig. 22), the right-hand end of the shaft Z) of the fly engages the finger 168 and causes said finger to swing rearwardly until the upper end of the arm 166 is; forward side of a strai ht line joining the points 167 and 171 (Fig. whereupon the spring 170 moves the fingers 168 and 169 into the position shown in Figs.

iii)

7 and 13. The movement thus imparted to the finger 168 is transmitted through the arm 166, the link 165, the arm 164 and the. sleeve 163 to the arm 162, whereby the pawl 161 is caused to turn the disk 159 through a quarter-revolution from the position shown in Fig. 22. Such quarter-revolution causes retraction of the latch 145. A quarter-revolution of the disk 159 causes one revolution of the pinion 156 and the crank 155. Some of the power to complete the revolution of the crank 155 is furnished by the spring 153. By reference to Fig. 10, it will be seen that there is a shoulder 175 on the latch 145 which is adapted to engage a shoulder 176 within the guide 146. 177 is an expansive spring which tends to move the latch 145 laterally. Near the end of the first half-revolution of the crank arm 155, the latch 145 is retracted far enough to place the shoulder 175 rearwardly of the shoulder 176, whereupon the spring 177 pushes the latch sidewise to place the shoulder 175 directly behind the shoulder 176. Near the beginning of the second half-revolution of the crank arm 155 the latch shoulder 175 stops against the shoulder 176, whereby the latch is held retracted out of position to engage the block 148.

Shortly before the carriage reaches its initial position the indexing block (Fig. 14), which is a little longer than the other indexing blocks, engages the forward end of the latch 145 and moves said latch to the left, as viewed in Fig. 10, so as to disengage the shoulder 175 from the shoulder 176, whereupon the spring 147 projects the latch 145 forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 10. As the carriage again returns to the thirteenth position, the latch 145 yields rearwardly to allow the locking block 148 to pass and then is againadvanced by the spring 147 into position to engage the block 148.

As will be understood from the foregoing.v the introduction of a fly into the machine for the lacing of one side thereof causes retraction of the latch 145 to allow the machine to be started. It will also be understood that after the first side of the fly has been laced the latch 145 is again in position to prevent restarting of the machine. In order that the latch 145 shall be retracted each time the fly is indexed for the lacing of the second, third and fourth sides and shall not be retracted in case the operator should inadvertently index the fly more than three times, I provide the means to be now described.

Three arms 178, 179 and 180 are fixed on the shaft 158 in position to be engaged by the corners of a fly which has been raised into position to be indexed. Two of the arms 178 and 180 are diametrically opposite each other, the third arm 179 being midway between the other two. For convenience, the three-arm structure just described may be termed a star wheel. The movement imparted to the star wheel by the engagement of a corner of the fly with one of the arms 178, 179 and 180 causes the pinion 156 and the crank arm 155 to turn through one revolution, power to complete the revolution being supplied by the spring 153 (Fig. 13). The latch 145 is thereby retracted. By reference to Figs. 22 and 23, it will be seen that when the disk 159 is turned by reason of the introduction of a fly for the lacing of one side of the latter, the three-arm star wheel will be turned so that the arm 178 will stand in position to be engaged by a corner of the fly when the fly is indexed for the lacing of a second side. Similarly, in the indexing of the fly for the lacing of the third side, the arm 179 will be engaged, and in the indexing of the fourth and final side, the arm 180 will be engaged. The engagement of a fly with one of the arms 17 8, 179 and 180 causes one revolution of the pinion 156 and the crank arm 155, with consequent retraction of the latch 145. There being no fourth arm opposite the arm 179, inadvertent indexing of the fly subsequent to the lacing of the fourth side will not cause retraction of the latch 145.

Means is provided to prevent the shaft 158 from being turned through more than ninety degrees by a vigorous turn of the fly as it is being indexed. Said means comprises a ring 181 (Figs. 22 and 23) fixed to the spur gear 157 and having upon its periphery four equidistant stop lugs 182 adapted to engage the rod 37. With the parts in initial position, as illustrated in Fig. 22, one of the lugs 182 lies at the upper side of the rod 37, the spring 153 (Fig. 13) serving to hold said lug against said rod. When a new fly is pushed past the finger 168 and into engagement with the arms 31 and 32, the pawl 161 turns the shaft 158, disk 159, spur gear 157 and ring 181 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 22, thereby placing the next lug 182 against the lower side of the rod 37. When the operator lowers the arms 31 and 32 to place the fly upon the comb, the rod 37 pushes its Way past the lug 182, the ring 181 turning backward sufliciently to allow the rod to pass, after which the spring 153 returns the ring to the position shown in Fig. 23. The first side of the fly having been laced, the fly is raised, the rising of the rod 37 into contact with the lower side of the lug 182 causing the star wheel to turn a slight distance in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 22. When the fly is turned or indexed through ninety degrees, engagement of one corner of the fly with the arm 178 causes the star wheel to turn until the next lug 182 stops against the lower side of the rod 37. In this manner the rod 3. and the lugs 182 prevent the shaft 158 from turning through more than a quarter-revolution through momentum or otherwise.

Before an attempt is made to return the carriage C into pos tion 'z skein, it is in'iportant that filial have completed the tying of t tl a: lace of the twelfth skein. and the lacir to re-..- in their initial position, the carriage should not be unlatclzcd to the action of the springs 76 until the knotting and lacing mech anisms have been manually brought to initial position. For this reason I provide the means shown at the left-hand end of Fig. 11, said means comprising a detent 1S3 pivoted. to the carriage C at 1% and yieldingly held in normal position by means of an expansive spring 185. A latch 186 is pivoted at 187 on. the base 1 in position to engage the detent 183 when the carriage comes to rest the thirteenth position. 188 a stop to limit gravitating mo'Joinent of the latch 38%. Upon the main shaft 189 of the earl" having a tapered per under a projection 191 carried oy arm which is rigid with the latch 186. The dish 1% makes one revolution for each cycle of operations of the lacing and knot ng mcclninisi'ns. i. e, for the operations re -red in lacing a slrein and returning to initial position. The disk 190 is mounted in. such position that when the carriage is held by the latch 8 in tho thirteenth position the projection .91 is in a vertical plane extending transversely of the shaft 189 and through the portion of the disk 190 which is of greatest diameter. In the periphery of the disk lQO is a notch 193 (Fig. 7) so located with reference to the projection 19:. that when the lacing and lznotting mechanisms on the carriage C are in their initial p s' 'l notch is in p j tion to Taggin d pmggc is: fired disk .90

iphcr vino tzon. It will be seen that if the lacing and liIlO ng mechanisms on the carriage C come to rem. in their initial position. the projection 191 will drop into the recess 193, whereliy the latch 18?) is held out of engagement with the dcftent 183, and that if the brake 67 acts so promptly as to stop the knottino lacing mechanisms before they have to initial poeirion. the projection 1 rest upon the elevated portion of and will thus hold the latch 19? i .naa ement will he detent l. operator cannot re he has manually turne notl'oin of the notch 19 the projection llll. the members 183 the opera? r ceveled forward end to enable it to the latch 18C- if the latter should be up when the latch 183 reaches it.

In practice, a supply of flies is maintained in convenient position adjacent to the front side of the machine. Assuming that the machine is idle, the carriage C being held. in the thirteenth position by the latch 68, and assuming further that the fly-lifting arms 31 and are in their upper positions wherein the channeled ends of said arms are in operative alinemcnt with the ledges and 26: The operator takes a fly, places it upon said ledges and pushes it rearwardly until the ends of the shaft of the fly stop against the stops 29 and 30. In the rearward movement of the fly the arm 168 is swung into the position shown in Fig. 13, thereby causing retraction of the latch 145. When the ends of the shaft of the fly stop against the portions 29 and 30 the shaft ends are within the channeled ends of the arms 31 and 32. l ith one hand the operator maintains the fly with its lower side in a horizontal plane while with the other he grasps the hand rod 35 and )ulls said hand rod forward and down, thereby lowering the fly onto the comb. The elements of the comb teeth close together before the skeins touch the teeth and then the movable elements are rapidly oscillated through a shortarc as the fly descends, whereby the teeth work their way through the skeins Without injuring the silk. The operator then swings the hand lever i (Fig. 8) to the right. If the fly is as far down on the comb as it should be, there will be no obstruction to the moven ent of said hand lever, and movement will be communicated from the hand lever 74 through the bar 73 and the lever 72 to disengage the latch 68 from the block 69. The springs 76 thereupon drive the carriage C toward the left (Fig. 1) until the carriage is in operative relation to the skein farthest to the left. the carriage approaches such position, the block (Fig. 14) engages the front end of he latch 145 and releases said latch from th orking shoulder 176 (Fig. 20). whereby the sp ing 147 is permitted to project the latch into the position shown in Fig. 10. As carriage reaches operative relation to the yk'i farthest to the left, the high point of th: cam 98 passes zhe projection on the lever 95, whereupon the spring 97 operating through the arms 95 and 9i the dog 92. the lug 93, the arm 89 and the fork 87, throws in the clutch and releases the bralze 67. Powor th reby communicated to the shaf 60 to drive the mechanisms on the carriage C gage the successive blocks and thus impart a step-by-step movement to the carriage C from one skein to the next. As the carriage approaches the thirteenth position the block 148 (Fig. 10) passes the latch 145, the latch 68 engages the block 69, and the carriage strikes the stop screw 10a (Fig. 5), whereby the reciprocating slotted bar 111 is lowered into engagement with the lever 119, said lever 119 thereby being withdrawn from the lever 122, and the spring 124 being thereby permitted to draw the shaft 59 rearwardly to move the roller 57 from the vertical plane of the blocks 55.

When the shaft 59 is thus drawn rearwardly, the cam projection 126 engages the projection on the lever 127 (Fig. 16), thereby disengaging the dog 92 from the lug 93, whereupon the spring throws out the clutch 65 and applies the brake 67, thereby bringing the machine to a stop. The operator then raises the hand rod 35 until the flylifting arms stop against the upper ends of the openings in the guide 38 (Fig. 5), thereby raising the fly clear of the comb and into the position shown in Fig. 13. As the fly 18 being raised, the movable elements of the comb teeth are oscillated until the skeins are clear of the teeth, whereupon the teeth open wide to allow the laces to be withdrawn from the comb. The fly having been raised, the operator gives the fly a quarter turn. In the turning movement of the fly a corner thereof engages the arm 178 of the star wheel, thereby causing the crank arm 155 to turn through one revolution, thus retracting the latch 1&5 and placing it in engagement with the locking shoulder 176. Having thus indexed the fly, the operator lowers it onto the comb and then operates the hand lever 7 4 to restart the machine.

After all four sides of the fly have been laced, the operator raises it by raising the hand rod 36 and then grasps the fly and draws it forwardly on the led es 25 and 26. As the right-hand end of the s aft 6 of the fly passes the finger 16.9, the pawl 161 is given its rearward stroke into the position shown in Fig. 22 so as to be ready to operate the latch 145 when the next fly is placed in the machine.

Although I have described the present embodiment of the invention with considerable particularity, it should be understood that such detailed description has been given for the sake of clearness of understanding and not for the purpose of limiting the invention to the details described. Various modifications may be made in the construction and relative arrangement of the several mechanisms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Certain features herein disclosed are the invention of Russell P. Drake and are claimed in his application Serial No. 231,680, filed November 7, 1927.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of two slides having on their adjacent sides horizontal ledges to support the ends of the shaft of a fly, said slides having vertical slots at the inner ends of said led es, a comb below and in the vertical plane 0 said slots,

two arms having elongated recesses adapted to be alined with said ledges, said arms extending across said slots, and means for adjusting said slides and arms toward and away from each other in accordance with variations in the length of flies.

2. In a skein-lacing machine, the combinationof two slides having on their adjacent sides horizontal ledges to support the ends of the shaft of a fly, said slides having vertical slots at the inner ends of said led es, a comb below and in the vertical plane 0 said slots, and means for relatively moving said slides toward and away from each other to vary the distance between said ledges.

3. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of two members to support the ends of the shaft of a fly, lacing means movable step by step in accordance with the s acing of the skeins on the fly, and means or relatively moving said members toward and away from each other while maintaining the same relation between the skeins on a fly and the step by step positions of said lacing means.

4. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of two members to support the ends of the shaft of a fly, a comb the teeth of which are spaced to correspond with the spacing of the skeins on the fly, and means for relatively moving said members toward and away from each other while maintaining the proper relation to the comb of a fly supported on said members.

5. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of a comb upon which a fly may be seated, mechanism to lace the skeins carried by the fly, mechanism for moving said lacing mechanism along the fly, a hand lever for controlling the second mentioned mechanism, and means for automatically preventing operation of said lever if the fly is not properly seated on the comb.

6. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of a comb upon which a fly may be seated, mechanism to lace the skeins carried by the fly, mechanism for moving said lacing mechanism along the fly, a hand lever for controlling the second mentioned mechanism, a slide bar extending along the comb and connected to the hand lever, two feelers, one near each end of the comb, arranged to be moved through contact with a fly properly seated on the comb, said feelers having parts adapted to obstruct movement of the slide bar, and spring means tending to move the feelers to place said parts in obstructing position.

7. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of a lacing carriage, means including a clutch for imparting a working stroke to said carriage, means for imparting a return stroke to the carriage, a cam having a one-way driving connection with the last mentioned means, a lever movable in one direction to throw in the clutch, and a spring for moving the lever in said direction, said cam being arranged to move the lever in the opposite direction.

8. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of a lacing carriage, means for imparting a working stroke to said carriage, means for imparting a return stroke to the carriage, a cam having a one-way driving connection with the last mentioned means, and mechanism controlled by said cam for controlling the first mentioned means.

9. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of a comb, manually-actuated means for placing a fly on the comb and for removing the fly, said comb comprising vibratory toothsections, and means actuated by said manually-actuated means for vibrating said toothsections. r

10. In a skein-lacing machine, the combination of a comb comprising vibratory toothsections, means for vibrating the tooth-sec tions comprising a pivoted cam, means for moving a fly into and out of operative relation to the comb, and means actuated by said fly-moving means for oscillating the cam.

11. In a skein-lacing machine, lacing mechanism, two fly-supporting arms pivoted rearwardly of said mechanism, said arms extending forward over said mechanism and being adapted to engage the ends of the shaft of a fly, and manual means for raising and lowering said arms.

12. In a skein-lacing machine, lacing mechanism, two fly-supporting arms pivoted rearwardly of and extending forwardly over said mechanism, the forward ends of said arms being adapted to engage the ends of the shaft of a fly, and a hand rod connected to said arms and supported oversaid mechanism and accessible from the front of the machine for raising and lowering said arms.

13. In a skein-lacing machine, lacing mechanism, two fly-supporting arms pivoted rearwardly of and extending forwardly over said mechanism, the forward ends of said arms being adapted to engage the ends of the shaft of a fly, a hand rod connected to said arms and supported over said mechanism and accessible from the front of the machine for raising and lowering said arms, and a counterweight for said arms and hand rod and the fly.

14. The combination of a comb, manual means above the comb for setting a fly on the comb and for removing it from the comb, a single lacing means beneath the comb, and means located at one end of the comb for HOWARD D. COLMAN. 

